Qore: Online Magazine, or PSN Gold?

This article cautiously analyzes the recent announcement of Qore, the monthly downloadable webisode with game related content available on PSN. Is Qore going to offer exclusive content, giving gamers an incentive to pay subscription fees (thereby making it more like Microsoft's LIVE Gold service) or will it just offer the sort of interviews, videos, and demos one would expect from a discs we see bundled with gaming magazines?

[mattnz]

How about before anyone "cautiously analyzes" anything we actually wait for the release and not just speculate, it's not like we have to wait long.

[MikeGdaGod]

yeah i'll try it for one month at least.

i've already been getting in all the betas since i'm a GAP member so i'm not sure if this will benefit me much. but i'll try it out. i've spent $3 on worst things.

[Sev]

Yeah exactly. How about they try it first. They are just trying to put down the PSN.

How in the world could they call this PSN Gold? This Qore is completely optional and you CAN play online for free. Its just something extra if you want it.
If not, PSN is still free.

The person who wrote this article, must have read the Qore article at Kotaku

[Kholinar]

"How about before anyone "cautiously analyzes" anything we actually wait for the release and not just speculate, it's not like we have to wait long."

And lose ad hits? Come on! Quit thinking, be a sheep and just click. I'm sure they'd like to buy a Benz this week.

[donalbane]

Good point. If it's one thing gamers hate, it's speculation.
:[

[niall77]

at least you dont play to play online.

and its only in america so people else where wont be effected

[D3acon]

You play online for free, get free demos, free trailers and videos of upcoming movies and developer interviews.

If you pay a fee, you get a video magazine subscription with the latest information behind the scenes with developers with exclusive information for upcoming games, invitations to betas, High definition video, plus more. So what's the problem, if it is a gold membership then it actually seems like its a gold membership.

[poopsack]

simple as that.

[Drekken]

Don't even try to compare this to XBL. I do not pay to play and never will... This qore is a perk that gives you inside scoops and not mandatory by any means. Its always been a hassle to get into betas anyways, so to let people who sign up for this service have first dibs.... good for them. I am sure many people will jump on this just to get beta access. I would rather seal a guarantee rather then hope I am randomly picked.

[MetalProxy]

I DONT PAY TO PLAY AND NEVER WILL!!!!

Just in case you missed the first senstence.

I DONT PAY TO PLAY AND NEVER WILL!!!!

[Boink]

if sony does start charging for online services, you would then bash sony for it right?

cause this tells me sony is now looking for ways to make money off their online service, much in the same way MS is making money off live.

If this does not work(and in all honesty I can't see people lining up for this, some hardcore will, but most won't), then they are obviously going to look at other ways of making money from it. as they add more and more features to it to try and compete with XBL, their budget for PSN is going to go up and up.

I think this is the beginning of chargeable fees coming to psn, and we will start to see more in the future.

cheers!

[killtheaquitted]

you don't pay to play and never will...until Sony starts charging for PSN

[ToastyMcNibbles]

people have to realize that this is optional..no one is forcing you to pay for quore...if you dont want it then dont purchase it..you'll still be able to play games online for free still download demos and videos and what not...i think its a cool concept and i will be purchasing the first episode tonight to see if it is worth continuing..my only concern is what would be the point of quore if people are probably gonna upload the episodes on youtube or something which im pretty sure will happen

[resistance100]

I love the concept, i hope SCEE start there own one, but i can't see it happening

[chasegamez]

i dont care
im getting it

[ActionBastard]

Mountain outta a molehill. Don't buy it. It's not like you have to pay to play...

[CViper]

They cant understand how PS3 owners don't have to pay to play online. Just chalk it up to the slow news year for the 360.

Banjo\Gears2 stories can only keep people interested for so long.

[ruibing]

It's just an online magazine with some exclusive digital contents. It's like those old PC Gamer magazines that comes with exclusive new videos and demos on a disc, except now it is all in electronic form. And just like a normal magazine, it's not required and will not hinder your everyday usage.

[avacadosnorkel]

or 24 bucks for 13 episodes and the Calling All Cars game which is 9.99.

Anybody willing to shell out for one episode might as well pick up the package deal and save a ton.

[bluecapone]

sooo...sony is turning psn into live now

[CViper]

1. Do you need Qore to play games online? No.

Oh, that solves that. I swear I wish the 360 section had ANY news going on. THen we wouldn't be flooded with such stupid articles.

Its an online mag w/perks that you can pay for. If you want, its your choice.

COD4 is free to play online, as is GTA4, as is everything else. PSN released free demos\wallpapers today as well.

Guys, and you know who I'm talking to. Give it up. Optional services aren't the same as mandatory connection fees you have to pay for XBL. As well as charged for wallpapers, wifi, batteries, hdd etc. Thats nickle and diming.

[C_Dub]

I'll have to see what's so special about this if I'm going to pay for Qore as well. Only $3 a month but still...I'll give it some time.

[avacadosnorkel]

2.99 X 13 = 38.87

but you also get Calling All Cars free which is 9.99 on its own, so that 24 bucks is more like 14 bucks for 13 episodes.

And if you or anybody else has a problem with 14 dollars when PSN at least allows people to purchase just what they want instead of buying point packages that never add up to the purchase....well 14 bucks is about what you get adding up in a couple months buying points that don't add up.

[Rusted]

except for the betas, all the "exclusive info" Sony promises such as videos and podcasts we can get it free. Let's wait then.

[Expy]

If anybody thinks this is PSN gold, they are stupid, and that includes YOU.

[Rusted]

you called me stupid because i don't want an OPTIONAL service offered by Sony? well, take a look at the mirror my friend

besides, who the hell said this is PSN gold?

[tordavis]

This is not like Xbox Live Gold. All Xbox Live members, Gold and Silver, get interviews, videos and exclusive info on Xbox Insider for free. I would rather them charge for Xbox Insider and let Silver and Gold members play for free online.

Microsoft has established the Xbox Live Gold as a pay for play service. They've made a ton of money on it. There's no turning back now. Maybe if they find a way to charge for other services or increase fees for movie rentals they can allow free multiplay for all accounts. I don't know. I'm still pissed there's no cross platform play with PS3 and 360. This world sucks sometimes.

[badkolo]

we know what it is but the issue I have is that this opens the door for sony to eventually charge for HOME or for ONLINE play. then what will you all say then.

is it a bad thing to charge us, well it depends and obviously this qore is nothing like live nor is it involving online play, people are just dumb and cant read, its a pay per mag kind of thing, interviews, videos, exclusive demos etc....

but maybe this is sonys way of making money and not interfering with free online play and some other free stuff. maybe they where smarter then ms and decided to make other features which dont effect gaming where some revinue can be made to eventually offset any costs leaving free online free.

If sony kept online gaming free with ingame xmb so you can cross invite and chat etc... and send messages during games etcc. but charged for demos and video and everythbing else then thats all kool and will end up being better then live, but its still far from it.

[Kholinar]

"the issue I have is that this opens the door for sony to eventually charge for HOME or for ONLINE play. then what will you all say then."

So if they hadn't done this, there'd be no way they could change that in the future?

Sony's going to do what they need to do to turn a profit. People are acting like they're Santa Claus or something and that this is an evil cookie that will change them to a Grinch... Corporations are corporations. They'll profit and they only care about you if you're in a large group that will stop buying.

[SRuN4]

I'm glad everyone thinks you HAVE to buy QORE. It's an option, not a requirement.

[Expy]

It's an INTERACTIVE magazine, during the show you can click and view stuff, probably access restricted websites with content to view, watch videos, interviews, etc. Get information of new betas and such. It's not just a video podcast like some of you think. You don't NEED Qore to play online. You people are fools for believing that this is a new layer for PSN.

[badkolo]

If sony is using their heads then hope that people buy qore, becuase the more that do then sony will try other things to offset ever charging for online play and thats a good thing

[Bazookajoe_83]

But as someone mentioned, lets wait for the release...

[BigKev45]

I'll get the full package, 13 months for $24.95.
It looks very promising.

[thehitman]

I hear goog initial things that its worth it I will definelty get the year subscritpion. Id like to get part of the socom beta to know if it will be worth it come september and Id like to see what Sony has offered with everything in Qore. Really inexpensive i spend 25 dollars a week on lunch that for a year is nothing.

And like I said before I will say it again this is NOT I repeat NOT an attempt of Sony on making PSN a pay service. They are offering a paid service throught their FREE service. If there was a sign of Sony making psn pay to use then we woudve seen it with Home, not with some extra service that has literally nothing to do with PSN or the community.

[NegativeCreepWA]

I would still like to know if we need to get it for a year. To get in the Socom beta. Has their been any info on this yet?

[Pornlord]

It's not PSN Gold... there isn't a PSN silver either. There is no class of member on Playstation. When are you Xbots gonna let that truly sink. Playstation is ALLOWING us to subscribe to a magazine... AS A PERK to all of us who want this online magazine, we get Beta's, Some exclusive demos that WOULD NOT BE ON PSN ANYWAY, and for a very reasonable price. That's it... I'm still gaming free, I'm still Downloading demos free. I still pay what I want without having to buy points. Nothing will change. NOTHING for people who do not subscribe.

[ZombiesNJ]

Veronica Belmont is the host...shes used to do the buzz out loud podcasts on cnet.com...HOT

[Figboy]

i think i have $3 in CHANGE in my pocket right now.

it's just a magazine, and it's OPTIONAL.

you still get to play online for FREE.

you still get videos, trailers, demos, wallpapers, etc, for FREE.

i repeat, QORE is a MAGAZINE, like any you'd get on the news stand, and yet different, because you don't have to actually go to said news stand, and it's INTERACTIVE, meaning it's still cooler than most magazines.

i just don't see what the controversy is.

[TrollLeader1]

is that it's a show about games. Had it been a show about anything else and Sony charged for it there wouldn't have been any problems.

[Angelitos]

Qore, is gonna be way better then the 60$ a year XBL. PS3 having the same features as XBL and playing online free >>>>>>>&g t;>XBL.
When HOME releases, which is also free, is gonna crush XBL.
And Qore, which is just 2.99 a month, will bring exclusive interviews, betas, behind the scenes making, etc.

PSN is the future

[Angelitos]

When is Qore releasing?

[Figboy]

today, when the PSN updates for the week.

[juuken]

There were a bunch of people panicking at the playstation blog over this and I don't even know why. This isn't even a mandatory service and people are acting as if you need it to play online. It's optional, and sounds interesting.

It should be given a chance.

Poor Sony. Try to do one thing, people complain. Try to do something else, they're criticized as well.

[MetalProxy]

This is getting to be pathetic.

[Ali_The_Brit]

oh PLEASE, for XBL gold u gotta pay to even play online!

all Qore does is offer news and such and the chance for betas, it really is an online magazine, and PSN is still very much free. its optional. if u want to game online on the 360, it isnt optional. nuff said.

[heyheyhey]

so you pay a few bucks, and you get some extra invites to beta's an cool video's

yeah that sounds about as bad paying a game's worth of money for XBL

[CR7JUVE1897]

would have been, instead of offering Calling all Cars, to offer up a promotional code for 9.99 worth of stuff that you may have wanted to buy, or at least add it to your wallet.

Anyway, this sounds like a great idea, and I'm all over it

[BigKev45]

I'm getting it also, but I already own Calling all Cars, so it doesn't do me any good.

[CR7JUVE1897]

So do I. I havent even touched it in months.

[jackdoe]

I don't see how hard it is to understand. This is an online magazine, no different than OPM or OXM (both of which bundled exclusive demos with the magazine). This is no PSN Gold and is not even comparable to Xbox Live Gold.

[donalbane]

Look... a lot of people have taken the title out of context here. I wasn't saying that PSN was going to charge for online gaming, I was trying to raise the question, "Will Qore grant exclusive rights to premium demos (FFX III, Little Big, etc) that would, like Xbox Live's Gold Subscriptions, charge for early access to premium dlc, like demos and betas?" But that's where my comparison to LIVE ends.

Comprende?

[mbmonk]

Donalebane: Stupid article, or stupid headline?

[donalbane]

Did you guys read the article? It's expresses concerns that Qore could open the door to charging for premium demos and betas, nothing more.

Xbox Live Gold charges money for early access to demos. With Qore, now Sony can follow suit. Whether they will do this or not is up in the air right now, but if you don't see the potential for them to hold premium content hostage on Qore, you didn't read the article. At no time did the author (me) suggest that Qore would involve charging PS3 users to play online. But people love to read titles and respond with knee-jerk reactions without taking the time to know what they are (over)reacting to in the first place. The article was meant to get a conversation going, which I suppose it succeeded in doing. I just wish people were having the same conversation as the article. Such is N4G.

[mbmonk]

I am glad I read the comments before clicking the link. I had a feeling it was just a headline to get attention.

[Clinton514]

Not one bit of compelling evidence. All this moaning about Qore is MOSTLY coming from people who have nothing better to do than complain that things in life aren't free. We're living out an expensive hobby here. To conspire that a SUBSCRIBE for digital magazine is some sort of trick is madness.